Excavations in 2010 in the southwestern harbor at Berenike documented two distinct
structures. One built of white gypsum/anhydrite ashlars was the earlier of the two. The later one,
with walls composed mainly of extinct coral heads, but incorporating portions of the earlier ashlar
structure, lay immediately southeast of the former. The later edifice, and the focus of this article,
dated to the 4th and 5th centuries AD and clearly had a religious function. Excavations documented
two major phases of this shrine and suggested that multiple creeds were venerated here, including
one perhaps of South Arabian origin. Along with numerous cult objects made of metal, stone,
terracotta, ostrich eggs and cowry shells there was ample floral and faunal evidence for offerings made or consumed by devotees....

The Berenike Project team explored, as one of a number of objectives, a square
feature situated on an island or promontory in the southwestern harbor bay of the Berenike
port, directly to the northwest of the “Lotus Temple”. The report is a preliminary assessment
of the results of excavations carried out in 2010 and 2011, which uncovered the inside of the
structure as well as a continuous surface of melted gypsum anhydrite around it that was
proved to be at least in part a tumble of large wall ashlars. A provisional dating of the
remains suggests an early Roman origin for the structure, which may have been a sanctuary.
The findings indicate that it was already abandoned in the 4th–5th centuries when the
neighboring “Lotus Temple”, uncovered concurrently by the Polish–American team, was at
its peak. Finds included an inscribed altar dedicated to Domitian(?), discovered among the
tumble of a stone basin and unidentified installation, and some remains of bronze statuary,
oil lamps, glass beads and other finds....